Lighting model crucial to light behavior

[oldminer]

Many different approaches are being taken to show how light enters and leaves diamonds by different devices or in photography. Depending on how realistic the approach, the model used, the more we hope that it will correlate with what our eyes would generally see in the real world.




Very few people, scientists, inventors or dealers, want to openly tell us their lighting model. Some of this is considered very proprietary and even patented. Secrecy of intellectual property supercedes the desire for open communication.




In the end, you cannot believe everything you see to be accurately depicting real world results. A pictuse can be taken in false lighting or digitally altered. A light reading can be perfomed in a good or poor environment. We won''t know for certain. What we need to do is ask questions and only trust those who deserve placing our trust in.




Some methods for determining light behavior are based on calculations rather than observing the actual diamond. These can be incorrect because the diamond is not fully transparent, not colorless, imperfect, or the measurements are not accurate. Bad numbers equate to bad calculations.

 

[strmrdr]

If im remembering right your involved in a group coming out with a diamond grading machine.
Will the light model be open on it?
Will it be submited for peer review?

 

[strmrdr]

fwiw I agree talking about diamond behavour without specifing the light conditions under discussion is like measuring the color of an orange in a cave 200 feet deep with no lights on.

 

[oldminer]

Yes, I am involved in such a company. While we are not going to tell the world the proprietary lighting model, it is believed to represent a fair way to create a result the human eye and mind would agree with. It has been VERY thoroughly tested by some extremely trustworthy and detailed people having a huge base of experience in the diamond and technology business. This is not the average amateur enterprise.




This project is taking direct light readings from every diamond tested, not calculating from measurements and ray/beam tracing programs. This will eliminate false readings from less than transparent stones and the other problem stones.




When one has a huge amount of money tied up in a project, it is incumbent on the owners to protect their intellectual property. I don't have a problem with this if the research has been well done and thoroughly tested. The diamond business does not need more half-baked approaches.